{{westernrite}}The '''Gallican Rite''' refers in the first instance to the liturgy of ancient Gaul (France), and in the second to a family of non-Roman [[Western Rite]]s which comprised the majority use of most of Western Europe for the greater part until being mostly displaced by the Roman rite beginning in the eighth century, but modifying the Roman rite in the process.

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The Gallican rite is actually a family of rites which comprised the majority use of most of Western European for the greater part of the 1st Millenium. The rite first developed in the early centuries as the Syriac-Greek rites of Jerusalem-Antioch were first translated into Latin in various parts of the Roman West. Various rites within the greater Gallican family claim various specific lineages: such as origin with the Alexandrine rite of St. Mark for the Churches of Aquilea and Milan, or origins with the Ephesine rite of St. John the Divine for the Churches of Gaul, Iberia, and Brittania. Many Gallican texts survive, but the survival of the rite is mostly in its influence upon the present Roman and Anglican rites (called Gallo-Roman), as a component of the Ambrosian rite of Milan. The last surviving "pure" Gallican rite is the Mozarabic rite of Toledo, Spain which has been limited to a few chapels for the past few centuries. The Gallican rites are more extravagant than the Roman, the music more melismatic, the words richer, more profuse, and dramatic. The surviving Gallican materials also have recognizable concordances with the Eastern and Oriental rites in the form of certain prayers and ceremonial, owing to its shared ancient origin in the original rites of the Holy Land.

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Various rites within the greater Gallican family have claimed various specific lineages, such as an origin from the Alexandrine rite of St. [[Apostle Mark|Mark]] for the Churches of Aquilea and Milan, or origins from the Ephesine rite of St. [[Apostle John|John the Divine]] for the Churches of Gaul, Iberia, and Brittania. The little evidence remaining for the rite of Ephesus comes from local councils in Asia Minor. There the Byzantine replaced the Ephesine, which seems to have simply been a local use of the wider Greco-Syriac "Antiochian" liturgy. The Ephesine theory had its major opponents among the Modernist school of the early 20th century, [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06357a.htm as the ''Catholic Encyclopedia'' states], "the Ephesine theory has now been given up by all serious liturgiologists." The development of the rite is such it did not likely originate before the fourth century. However, the origin of the rite remains very much an open question. That it does contain much of Antiochian influence has influenced contemporary liturgical scholars to revisit the Ephesine claim of the ''Cursus Gallorum'', whereby the earliest Gallican liturgy would simply be the liturgy of Syria and Asia Minor, but in the Latin tongue.

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In the early 20th c., the Russian emigre community in Paris included a number of clergy who were mindful of evangelization in the West. Among that number were a pair of brothers, Fathers Eugraph and Eugene Kovalevsky. Based upon the "Letters of Saint Germanus" and various Gallican Missals (Stowe, Bobbio, Gothic, Mozarab, Autun) and much borrowing from the Byzantine, a Neo-Gallican rite was constructed for the Western Rite activity in France. This rite was something in between an Eastern and Western rite, having similarities in structure and material with both. The rite is still in use with Le Eqlise Catholique Orthodoxe Francaise as well as the Union Actuelle Orthodoxe Catholique Francaise now in union with the Patriarch of Serbia. The rite has been used by communities under the Patriarch of Moscow, the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, the Patriarch of Romania, and the Patriarch of Serbia.

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Many Gallican texts survive, but the survival of the rite is primarily in the Toledan rite (also called Mozarabic, Isidorian, Old Spanish or Gothic by some liturgical scholars) , and secondarily in its influence upon the present Roman and Anglican rites (called Gallo-Roman), and as a component of the Ambrosian rite of Milan. It is due to the influence of the Gallican liturgy that the Roman [[Mass]] included the ''Gloria.'' The longest surviving Gallican rite was that of Toledo, Spain, which has been limited to a few [[chapel]]s for the past few centuries. Both the Toledan and Milanese liturgies were modified by the Roman, accepting the Roman [[canon]] at fairly recent times in their development. Following the Second Vatican Council, both the Toledan Rite and the Milanese Rite were altered in a ''Novus Ordo'' style though both have been celebrated in their traditional forms by priests of the Western Rite Orthodox.

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=Sources=

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Whatever their origin, the Gallican rites were more given to ceremonial than the Roman. The surviving Gallican materials also have recognizable concordances with the Eastern and Oriental rites in the form of certain prayers and ceremonial, while sharing many other similarities with the Roman rite. The known elements of the Gallican liturgy are:

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[http://orthodoxie.free.fr/history%20an%20liturgical.htm "Some Notes on the History and Liturgical Practice of the Orthodox Church of France" by Fr. Francis DeMarais.]

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*Introit

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*The ''Ajus (agios)'' sung in Greek and Latin. Following this, three boys sing ''Kyrie Eleison'' three times. This is followed by the ''Benedictus''.

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*Collect

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*Old Testament reading

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*Epistle reading or Life of the Saint of the Day

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*The ''Benedicite'' and ''Ajus (agios)'' in Latin

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*Gospel reading

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*Sermon

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*Dismissal of catechumens

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*Intercessions

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*Great Entrance and the Offertory chant

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*Kiss of Peace

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*''Sursum Corda'', Preface, ''Sanctus'', and Post-''Sanctus'' Prayer

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*Roman (Gregorian) Eucharistic Prayer (not in the Gallican and Spanish liturgies, which had variable elements in the anaphora)

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*The Fraction (the host is divided into nine pieces, seven of which are then arranged into the shape of a cross)

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*Our Father

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*Blessing of the People

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*Communion of the People

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*Post-Communion Prayer

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[http://orthodoxie.free.fr/sources_du_rite.htm L'ECOF article on the origins of their Neo-Gallican rite in French.]

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==Outline of the Gallican Liturgy==

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The following is the order of the Gallican liturgy as it was celebrated in sixth century Paris, as described in the first letter of St Germanus of Paris, published as ''Expositio antiquae liturgiae gallicanae''. Unlike the Roman and Milanese, the Gallican proper does not have a fixed anaphora, but instead uses variable texts before and after the institution narrative.

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[http://orthodoxie.free.fr/liturgie%20occidentale.htm L'ECOF article on the Ancient Rite of the Gauls in French.]

[http://www.odox.net/Liturgy1-Gallican.htm Neo-Gallican Liturgy used by L'ECOF]

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==20th century history==

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In the early 20th century, the Russian emigr&eacute; community in Paris included a number of [[clergy]] who were mindful of evangelization in the West. Among that number were a pair of brothers, Evgraph (later Bishop [[Jean-Nectaire (Kovalevsky) of Saint-Denis|Jean-Nectaire of Saint-Denis]]) and Maxime Kovalevsky. The Kovalevskys restored the Gallican liturgy based upon the two letters concerning the liturgy whose authorship is ascribed to St [[Germanus of Paris|Germanus]], a sixth century [[bishop]] of Paris, as well as various Gallican and other non-Roman missals (Stowe, Bobbio, Gothic, Mozarab, Autun). The [[Divine Liturgy according to St Germanus of Paris]] is still in use with [[Orthodox Church of France|L'Eglise Orthodoxe de France]] as well as the Union Actuelle Orthodoxe Catholique Francaise, which is now in talks to join the [[Church of Serbia|Patriarchate of Serbia]]. The rite has been used by communities under the [[Church of Russia]], the [[Russian Orthodox Church Abroad]], the [[Church of Romania]], the [[Church of Serbia]], and the Coptic Patriarchate of Alexandria.

The Gallican Rite refers in the first instance to the liturgy of ancient Gaul (France), and in the second to a family of non-Roman Western Rites which comprised the majority use of most of Western Europe for the greater part until being mostly displaced by the Roman rite beginning in the eighth century, but modifying the Roman rite in the process.

Various rites within the greater Gallican family have claimed various specific lineages, such as an origin from the Alexandrine rite of St. Mark for the Churches of Aquilea and Milan, or origins from the Ephesine rite of St. John the Divine for the Churches of Gaul, Iberia, and Brittania. The little evidence remaining for the rite of Ephesus comes from local councils in Asia Minor. There the Byzantine replaced the Ephesine, which seems to have simply been a local use of the wider Greco-Syriac "Antiochian" liturgy. The Ephesine theory had its major opponents among the Modernist school of the early 20th century, as the Catholic Encyclopedia states, "the Ephesine theory has now been given up by all serious liturgiologists." The development of the rite is such it did not likely originate before the fourth century. However, the origin of the rite remains very much an open question. That it does contain much of Antiochian influence has influenced contemporary liturgical scholars to revisit the Ephesine claim of the Cursus Gallorum, whereby the earliest Gallican liturgy would simply be the liturgy of Syria and Asia Minor, but in the Latin tongue.

Many Gallican texts survive, but the survival of the rite is primarily in the Toledan rite (also called Mozarabic, Isidorian, Old Spanish or Gothic by some liturgical scholars) , and secondarily in its influence upon the present Roman and Anglican rites (called Gallo-Roman), and as a component of the Ambrosian rite of Milan. It is due to the influence of the Gallican liturgy that the Roman Mass included the Gloria. The longest surviving Gallican rite was that of Toledo, Spain, which has been limited to a few chapels for the past few centuries. Both the Toledan and Milanese liturgies were modified by the Roman, accepting the Roman canon at fairly recent times in their development. Following the Second Vatican Council, both the Toledan Rite and the Milanese Rite were altered in a Novus Ordo style though both have been celebrated in their traditional forms by priests of the Western Rite Orthodox.

Whatever their origin, the Gallican rites were more given to ceremonial than the Roman. The surviving Gallican materials also have recognizable concordances with the Eastern and Oriental rites in the form of certain prayers and ceremonial, while sharing many other similarities with the Roman rite. The known elements of the Gallican liturgy are:

Introit

The Ajus (agios) sung in Greek and Latin. Following this, three boys sing Kyrie Eleison three times. This is followed by the Benedictus.

Collect

Old Testament reading

Epistle reading or Life of the Saint of the Day

The Benedicite and Ajus (agios) in Latin

Gospel reading

Sermon

Dismissal of catechumens

Intercessions

Great Entrance and the Offertory chant

Kiss of Peace

Sursum Corda, Preface, Sanctus, and Post-Sanctus Prayer

Roman (Gregorian) Eucharistic Prayer (not in the Gallican and Spanish liturgies, which had variable elements in the anaphora)

The Fraction (the host is divided into nine pieces, seven of which are then arranged into the shape of a cross)

Our Father

Blessing of the People

Communion of the People

Post-Communion Prayer

Contents

Outline of the Gallican Liturgy

The following is the order of the Gallican liturgy as it was celebrated in sixth century Paris, as described in the first letter of St Germanus of Paris, published as Expositio antiquae liturgiae gallicanae. Unlike the Roman and Milanese, the Gallican proper does not have a fixed anaphora, but instead uses variable texts before and after the institution narrative.